What You Missed as Over 500 graduated at Nyabyeya Forestry College, Masindi

Dr. Mary Kitutu, the state minister for environment handing over a gift to Jowel Namatovu the overall winner in diploma intakes as the college Pricipal Goodfrey Akubonabona looks on

Priscilla Nyamahunge

Masindi

The State Minister for Environment Dr.Mary Kitutu has cautioned graduands against having the urge to make rush money but rather work harder to achieve their goals.

Dr.Kitutu made the caution as she presided over the 54th graduation ceremony of 549 graduands at Nyabyeya Forestry College, Masindi district over the weekend.

The college, which is located 32kms from Masindi town, is the only forestry college in the whole country.

While addressing graduands, Dr.Kitutu said that some people always misuse their chances when they get government jobs as they strive to get rushed success.

“Don’t have the urge of wanting to get riches very fast.You have graduated today but some might want to attain things like expensive houses and cars which their counterparts who have been in the field
for long have. In case some of you get employed by government, please stay off government money if you don’t want to get in trouble,”Dr.Kitutu said.

The graduands attained in Diplomas in Agro-forestry, bee keeping, Forestry and Biomas energy. Others were awarded certificates in Bee keeping and forestry.

Dr.Kitutu advised the graduands to desist from looking for employment but rather use the skills attained to create themselves jobs.

She pledged to work hand in hand with the education sector to ensure that a course in oil and gas is included in the college’s curriculum, with a call to the Banyoro to embrace taking children to the college and also guard the natural resources such as Budongo forest and the oil resource jealously.

Meanwhile, she said that government has a target of planting about 2.4m hectares of trees country wide, thus calling on the college officials to work hand in hand with them.

Godfrey Akubonabona, the college Principal, expressed the need for the ministry to recruit more staff such that the college can ably give consideration to Universal Secondary Education leavers who might be many.

In response, the minister advised the school administration to consider advising first class graduates to upgrade and the college retains them as the ministry finds ways of recruiting more.

Kanaginagi Rutindo, the district Secretary for Finance who represented the LC5, called upon the graduands to start up nurseries and also engage communities in planting trees, which he said would help in conserving climate change.

WHAT GRADUANDS SAY;

Tomson Asiimwe, Diploma in Agro-forestry saya; “As I look for a government job, I will be setting up tree nurseries which I believe, will help me earn a living.”

Laban Mutsongo, Diploma in Forestry: “I will ensure that I pass on the knowledge and skills attained at
college to the community I live in since it’s every Ugandan’s responsibility to conserve the environment.”

Rose Lusweti,Diploma in Forestry; “Setting up nurseries might be easy but accessing market for the trees is a challenge.Government needs to do more sensitization to communities about the dire need of planting trees.”